Method and apparatus for catheter injection

ABSTRACT

A device for injecting an elongated member, like a catheter, into a passageway like a blood vessel, including a body from which a feeding means like a needle extends and which contains the elongated member extending into the feeding means. The space in the body including the elongated member is sealed except for its communication to the outside of the device through the feeding means. There is provided a source of fluid for said space and a means for applying pressure to the space. The elongated member is of a smaller size then the needle passageway so the fluid placed under pressure forms a cushion around the member which is impelled by the pressure from the outer end of the feeding means.

United States Patent Smith [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CATHETERINJECTION [72] Inventor: Gordon E. Smith, Madison, Wis.

[73] Assignee: Medidyne Corporation, Chicago, Ill.

22 Filed: July 14,1970

[21] Appl. No.: 54,732

[52] US. Cl ..128/2l4.4, 128/218 R, 128/348, 221/64, 221/278, 226/97[51] Int. Cl. ..A61m 5/00 [58] Field of Search ..128/214.4, 221,348-351, 128/262, 218 R; 221/64, 278; 226/97 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,010,453 11/1961 Doherty ..128/214.4 3,185,1515/1965 Czorny ..128/214.4 3,262,449 7/1966 Pannier et a1 ..128/214.43,309,082 3/1967 Hindman ..221/278 X 3,353,823 11/1967 Sobel ..226/97 X3,433,214 3/1969 Silverman ..128/262 X 3,433,215 3/1969 Silverman..128/214.4 X 3,474,786 10/1969 Spademan ..l28/214.4 3,525,329 8/1970Zeimer et a1 ..128/262 X 3,536,073 10/1970 Farb ..l28/2l4.4

[451 Nov. 21, 1972 3,561,445 2/1971 Katerndahl et al.....128/214.43,570,485 3/1971 Reilly ..l28/214.4

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,457,344 9/1966 France ..128/214.41,243,331 6/1967 Germany ..128/214.4

Primary Examiner-Dalton L. Truluck Att0rneyWallenstein, Spangenberg,Hattis & Strainpel 57] ABSTRACT A device for injecting an elongatedmember, like a catheter, into a passageway like a blood vessel,including a body from which a feeding means like a needle extends andwhich contains the elongated member extending into the feeding means.The space in the body including the elongated member is sealed exceptfor its communication to the outside of the device through the feedingmeans. There is provided a source of fluid for said space and a meansfor applying pressure'to the space. The elongated member is of a smallersize. then the needle passageway so the fluid placed under pressureforms a cushion around the member which is impelled by the pressure fromthe outer end of the feeding means.

35 Claims, 35 Drawing Figures PATENTEDuum ma SHEET 2 UF 7 Arrvs.

PA TENTED NOV 21 I972 SHEET b UF 7 INVEN'IOR Gonaorv E. SMlrHPATENTEBnuvz: m2

SHEET 5 BF 7 luve'ron GORDON E. SMITH PATENTEDnnm I972 sum '1 or 7INveu'roa 60200: E. SMITH METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CATHETER INJECTIONThis invention relates to devices for injecting elongated members likecatheters or other hollow or nonhollow members into various human andanimal passageways. One of the most important applications of theinvention is in injecting catheters into blood vessels for use ininfusion of liquid into the vessels.

The insertion of elongated members, such as tubing or catheters of lowreactivity and long length, is frequently required in the practice ofmedicine. The current method of catheter insertion into closed vessels(as well as other closed tubes, ducts, lumina, hollow organs, etc.)requires the manual grasping and feeding of a relatively stiff catheter(initially carried in containers of the same or greater length) into thevessel or other passageway involved. This technique has numerousdisadvantages, among them being the increased risk of penetration of thevessels or other passageways, the difficulty and sometimes theimpossibility of passing through very small vessels or relatively sharpbends or angles in the vessels or other passageways of the body, and theneed for long housings for holding long straight lengths of the rigidcatheter or other elongated member.

Where a catheter or other elongated member is passed into a blood vesselby this technique, it is manually pushed through the lumen of a needleor over the needle extending into the blood vessel. If the user shouldwithdraw the catheter or other elongated member before the needle iswithdrawn, the elongated member can be pulled against the sharp end ofthe needle where it is severed within the blood vessel. A piece of thecatheter is then left to float through the vascular system where itposes a risk of vessel blockage. Also, the commonly used stiff catheterfor infusion of fluids into a blood vessel often causes, for reasons tobe explained, blood vessel irritation and infection and blood leakage atthe point the catheter enters the skin.

Where the vessel or passageway involved is slit to expose the same forpassing a catheter directly into the vessel, it is possible by presenttechniques to use longer and more pliable catheters which practicallyeliminates the aforesaid problems of blood vessel irritation, infectionor damage, but such a placement technique requires incision of thepatients skin with attendant discomfort and increased operative time bythe physician. The difficulty of insertion of a very pliable catheterinto a blood vessel through a needle by manually pushing it through theneedle is so great that only relatively stiff catheters have been usedfor catheter insertion by the simpler needle guiding technique.

Where a catheter is pushed through a needle into a blood vessel, thecatheter is usually provided with an enlargement on the end whichprevents the catheter from being pulled completely from the needle-Aftercatheter insertion, if it is desired to infuse fluid through thecatheter with the needle separated from the catheter, the catheter mustbe severed at a point outside of the needle and the end of the catheterconnected to an infusion bottle assembly. The technique and means forsevering and connecting the catheter to an infusion bottle assembly havebeen tedious, cumbersome and difficult to accomplish under sterileconditions.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to providean improved method and apparatus for inserting elongated members likecatheters into various human and animal passageways, particularly bloodvessels, which method and apparatus avoids the difficulties and dangersof the methods and apparatus heretofore utilized for this purpose.

More specifically, one of the objects of the present invention is toprovide a method of and apparatus for inserting elongated members likecatheters or the like, whether stiff or pliable, appreciable distancesinto passagewayswith little or no effort in contrast to the tediouseffort and/or patient discomfort resulting from the prior catheterinsertion techniques and catheter insertion apparatus. A related objectof theinvention is to provide a method and apparatus as just describedwherein such catheters or other elongated member can be injected throughneedles long distances into veins or arteries with a single squeeze of abulb or movement of a plunger or pleated body a short distance.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide a method andapparatus as just described which is effective and poses no danger ofpassageway damage even when the passageway is of very limited size andhas obstructions and sharp angles therein.

.A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for injectingthin elongated members like catheters into blood vessels or otherpassageways as described, which catheters can be made at such a smallcost that it can be a single use, disposable device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus forinjecting catheters or the like through a needle into a blood vesselwithout the danger of catheter severance within the blood vessel. Afurther object of the invention is to provide apparatus for injectingcatheters or the like through a needle into a blood vessel with anenlargement provided on the end of the catheter to keep the end of thecatheter from leaving the apparatus during catheter injection andwherein the catheter can be easily removed from the needle and securelyinterconnected with a fitting attachable to an infusion bottle assemblyor the like under sterile conditions. A related object of the inventionis providing a catheter injection apparatus as just described whichenables the user to connect the catheter to an infusion bottle assemblyselectively with the catheter connected to the needle or disconnectedtherefrom with ease and under sterile conditions.

The various aspects of the present invention satisfy one or more, and insome cases, all of the aforesaid objectives. In accordance with one ofthe aspects of the invention, it has been discovered that an elongatedmember like a catheter can be most effectively bodily impelled withoutaffecting the basic dimensional integrity thereof through a needle orother open ended feeding means by securing the latter to a housingcontaining the elongated member with the front end of the elongatedmember extending into the feeding means so as to be readily bodilyimpellable therethrough. In the most advantageous, preferred forms ofthe invention, the space within the housing is sealed except for itscommunication with the outside of the assembly through the front end ofthe open ended feeding means. The housing contains a fluid which may bea liquid or a gas like air which, when placed under pressure causesfirst the front end of the elongated member and then the portionsthereof behind the same to be bodily impelled forwardly through the openended feeding means. in the injection of a catheter into a blood vessel,the fluid used is most effectively a sterile liquid like saline solutionor the very liquid to be infused into the blood vessel through thecatheter (such as blood plasma, etc.), and, in such case, the sterileliquid passes around the catheter in the needle and flows out of theneedle where the movementof the fluid around the catheter aids inimpelling the catheter into the blood vessel. The present invention isso amazingly effective that a single squeeze of a bulb or the movementof a plunger or pleated housing body over only a small fraction of aninch can propel almost the entire length of a catheter over'20 incheslong through a needle into a blood vessel. Since the catheter isenclosed by the housing and needle and is not grasped in the catheterinjection process, it cannot be manually pulled back against the pointedend of the needle extending into the blood vessel which could cut-off aportion of the catheter which could then float free in the blood stream.

To prevent severance of the catheter it is also advantageous to providean enlargement on the rear end of the catheter which becomesfrictionally locked in place in the needle or other portion of thedevice at the termination of the catheter injection operation so thedevelopment of pressure conditions causing blood to flow backwards intothe needle from a blood vessel will not move the catheter rearwardly inthe device to bring the same against the needle, which could sever thesame.

The momentum of the catheter ejected from the needle is sometimes animportant factor in ejecting long catheter lengths into blood vessels,and where one has such control over the pressure applying means thatless than the entire length of the catheter can be ejected each time abulb is squeezed or a pleated housing body or plunger is moved, thepressure should be continuously applied until the desired length ofcatheter is ejected where the momentum effect is of importance.Otherwise, the catheter may not be again impellable from the needle oncea given length has already been injected into the blood vessel. 7

Although a number of aspects of the present invention are applicable tothe injection of relatively stiff catheters or other elongated members,one of the aspects of the invention is the use of a catheter in thecatheter injection device just described which is so pliable it has theconsistency of gum rubber or a wet noodle (ie it has substantiallimpness with a rubber-like resilience). Silicone elastomer is thematerial most advantageously used in the present invention since, unlikegum rubber, in addition to its limp, resilient quality, it is inert toall body fluids and tissue. Gum rubber, wet noodles and siliconeelastomer all have a high degree of limpness with substantial resilienceor elasticity; It was found that the use of such a catheter (or otherelongated member to be injected) can have a marked effect on the sizeand simplicity of the catheter injection device and on the effectivenessof a catheter injection operation into a blood vessel, especially when along length of catheter is to be injected. In the first place, such acatheter or elongated member having a relative- 1y long length forinsertion far into a blood vessel can be stored indefinitely in apermanently neatly coiled up condition in a short housing only afraction of the catheter length where the coils will expand outwardlyagainst the coil-confining walls of a part of the housing. Such a limpelongated member will unwind easily and move swiftly without any jammingin the needle or the blood vessel. In contrast to this, an elongatedmember with a modest but significant degree of rigidity will uncoil withdifficulty, so it cannot be easily and swiftly injected, if at all, bythe pressurizing of fluid around the catheter. Also, an elongated memberwhich is not made of such a limp material will usually set into a curvedshape whenleft in a sharply bent or coiled condition for only a fewhours, and will jam inside the needle or housing, making injection thereof unsatisfactory or even impossible.

Another important advantage of a catheter or the like used in a vascularapplication and having a wet noodle like consistency is that, unlikerigid and semirigid catheters or the like, a difficult to break liquidand bacteria tight seal is formed around the catheter at the point itenters the skin. (After insertion of a catheter or other elongatedmember into a blood vessel through a needle, the needle is pulled fromthe patient and discarded or positioned in a way not to damage the,

users skin.) With semi-rigid or rigid catheters, patient or cathetermovement causes the skin to pull away from the catheter or the catheterto pull away from the skin, causing openings for leakage of blood andpassage of bacteria and contaminants. Where the catheter has a wetnoodle like consistency, patient and catheter movement is not readilytransmitted to the point where the catheter passes through the skin sothe skin is not readily separated from the catheter and the skin canreadily form a seal around the soft pliable catheter material.

Furthermore, a straight stiff catheter will not readily pass through ablood vessel having an obstruction to easy passage of a conventionalrigid or semi-rigid catheter, as where the vessel bends or isconstricted, because such a catheter will catch on such obstruction andcan easily penetrate the vessel if an attempt is made to force thecatheter. Also, a stiff catheter will sometimes catch on the walls ofeven a straight blood vessel, thus precluding satisfactory advancement.When the catheter is made of a material with a wet noodle consistency,if the catheter should hit an obstruction in the blood vessel it is soflexible that it will not cause any injury to the vessel and will notusually jam within the vessel because such a catheter will readily passaround the obstruction and will tend to keep a centered position in theblood vessel.

A further aspect of the invention is the provision of a bevel at thefront end of the limp catheter (which would be unthinkable in a stiffcatheter since the stiff catheter would then form a needle capable ofreadily piercing the blood vessel involved). The bevel on the front endof such a catheter enlarges the area of the catheter entryway to preventformation of blood clots thereat, eliminates a collapsible body at thepoint where the tubular catheter is most prone to collapse to obstructthe withdrawal of blood'from the vessel and makes the catheter tip soflexible that the catching of the catheter tip on an obstruction willnot jam the catheter since the catheter tip can readily fold upon itselfpermitting the portion of the catheter behind the tip to pass by thesame and then pull the folded back tip from the obstruction.

Another aspect of the application of the invention where a catheter isinjected into a blood vessel is the provision of an enlargement,preferably a two-stepped enlargement, at the rear end of the catheterfor preventing the rear end of the catheter from leaving the needleduring the catheter injection operation. The first enlargement at theend of the catheter reaching the needle provides the aforesaid frictionlock in the needle which prevents subsequent reversal of movement of thecatheter. More importantly it reduces this clearance space to zerowhereupon the pressure inside of the catheter causes the catheter toexpand against the needle walls securely holding the catheter againstfurther movement which the friction fit between the catheter and needlecould not normally by itself achieve. The second enlargement at the veryend of the catheter, among other things, acts as a further insuranceagainst the catheter leaving the needle during catheter injection. Afterwithdrawal of the needle from the patient, the extremely flexiblecatheter can be removed from the needle by simply pulling on thecatheter to elongate and contract the diameter of the enlargements onthe end of the catheter which then slips through the needle as it is soelongated and contracted.

The various above described features of the invention are, in accordancewith more specific aspects thereof, utilized in different types ofcatheter injecting devices. Thus, in one form of the invention used forinjection of catheters or the like into blood vessels, the device is acompletely self-contained unit packaged and sterilized at the point ofmanufacture with saline solution or the like in the unit. Where theapplication of the invention is one where the catheter injection deviceneed not incorporate a sterile liquid at the point of manufacture, thedevice may include a very small inexpensive, easy-to-sterilize,liquid-free, catheter containing barrel-like body which does not haveany means for applying pressure to the barrel. The barrel-like body isreadily supplied with the sterile liquid at the point of use byattaching it through a connector to the front end of a conventionalsyringe unit (with its needle removed) which is regularly stocked athospitals and doctors offices. The syringe unit to which the catheterinjection device is connected is already filled with a sterile salinesolution or the like in the conventional way used to fill syringe unitswith liquid. The plunger of the syringe unit then becomes theinstrumentality for forcing liquid through the barrel-like body andneedle of the catheter injection device. Before using the device, airmust first be expunged therefrom. This is accomplished by orienting theassembly so the needle of the catheter injection device points up, andthen pushing the plunger of the syringe unit until liquid flows out theend of the needle. A removable liquidpassing catheter retaining means isprovided on the needle to prevent the movement of the catheter from theneedle while the air is removed in the manner explained.

In the specific forms of the invention described above, the catheter,after being injected into a blood vessel, can be removed from the needleand attached to an infusion bottle assembly by a connector carried bythe catheter injection .device which connector slides over the catheterwhich is pulled into a locked sealed position in the connector. Thevarious forms of the invention can and preferably are designed toprovide the user the option of connecting the catheter to an infusionbottle assembly in a manner which does not require removal of thecatheter from the needle.

in another form of the invention, the catheter injection device isdesigned to be connected to an infusion bottle assembly before thecatheter is injected and a small quantity of the infusion liquid isdrained from the infusion bottle into the initially dry catheterinjection device to become the catheter infusion liquid. When the userdesires to give a transfusion of blood or start an intravenous feedingoperation, the needle at the front end of the device is inserted intothe blood vessel involved and the catheter is injected into the vesselby squeezing a bulb-like member or the like. The needle is thenwithdrawn from the patient and, if desired, the catheter is pulled fromthe needle and separated from the entire catheter injection device andreconnected to the infusion bottle assembly, or the catheter leftattached to the device. In the latter case, a needle cover is appliedover the needle to protect the patient and the catheter from the needle.

Although it is preferable and most advantageous to use manually appliedpressure to cause the liquid to inject a cathetef intothe blood stream,in the example of the invention just described, it is within the purviewof some of the aspects of the invention to use the gravity forced flowof liquid to force the catheter from the needle into a blood vessel inthe direction of blood flow therein.

Where manual force is used to create a flow of liquid which impels thecatheter into a blood vessel, where the catheter remains attached to thecatheter injection device it is important that the portion thereofsqueezed or otherwise moved to decrease the volume of the liquid-filledsystem involved be a unidirectionally movable member to avoid thecreation of a negative pressure which could draw air into the devicewhen the needle is withdrawn from the patient and before infusion ofliquid through the catheter begins. Accordingly, where a squeeze bulb isprovided, the bulb is designed so it snaps into a permanently collapsedcondition when squeezed until infusion of fluid through the device isagain initiated which then creates a pressure which expands the bulbinto its original shape.

It should be understood that some of the aspects of the invention areuseful in applications where it is not desirable or necessary to use aliquid as the impelling medium. Thus, for some applications, thecatheter impelling fluid may be air. Such applications would be theinjection of a catheter or other elongated member into the urethra,rectum, ear, throat, lungs, etc.

The above described and other objects, advantages, and features of theinvention will become more clear and apparent upon making reference tothe specification to follow, the claims and the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of one form of the invention comprising aself-contained, sterile liquid containing catheter injection deviceresembling a syringe unit with an enclosure applied to the needlecontaining end thereof;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the catheterinjection device shown in FIG. 1 and enclosure thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the needle end ofthe catheter injection device shown in FIG. 2 after removal of theenclosure and needle cover, the device shown being used to inject acatheter into a blood vessel;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged transverse sectional view through theneedle shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary longitudinally sectional viewof the base or inner end of the needle of the catheter injection deviceshown in FIG. 3, as the enlarged rear end of the catheter reaches therear end of the needle;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the rear end of the catheter showingthe enlargement on the end thereof;

FIG. 6 illustrates the withdraw] of the needle from the blood vesselshown in FIG. 3 as a first step in removing the catheter from thecatheter injection device involved;

FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 6 showing the infusionliquid-receiving connector unit initially surrounding the needle shiftedinto a position immediately beyond the tip of the needle where it ispositioned around the catheter;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the rear end of theneedle showing the elongation and contraction of the enlarged end of thecatheter caused by a pulling force applied to the catheter, permittingthe same to pass through the needle;

FIG. 9 is a view of the front end of the needle as the end of thecatheter is being pulled therefrom;

FIG. 10 is a view of the infusion liquid-receiving connector unit whenthe enlarged end of the catheter of FIG. 9 has been pulled into itsfinal snugly fitting position within the infusion liquid-receivingconnector unit;

FIG. 11 is a view corresponding to FIG. 10 when the end connector of aninfusion bottle assembly has been secured within the connector unit ofFIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an infusion bottle assembly showing theend connector thereof adjacent the infusion liquid-receiving connectorunit of the catheter injection device shown in FIG. 11; I

FIG. 13 illustrates a second form of the invention comprising aself-contained, sterile liquid containing catheter injection device andwith an enclosure applied around the needle containing end thereof;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged longitudinally sectional view through thecatheter injection device and enclosure of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a greatly enlarged side elevational view of the needle andits mounting hub used in the catheter injection device of FIGS. 13 and14, before the needle assembly has been assembled with other parts ofthe device;

FIG. 16 is a substantially enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectionalview of the rear end of the needle assembly of FIG. 16, taken alongsection 16-16 thereof;

FIG. 17 shows a third and preferred form of the invention comprising aself-contained sterile liquid containing catheter injection device andwith an enclosure applied thereto encompassing most of the lengththereof;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the catheterinjection device and the enclosure thereof of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a longitudinal sectional view of the catheter injectiondevice of FIG. 18 after the enclosure and needle cover have been removedtherefrom;

FIG. 20 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view ofthe inner end portion of the needle assembly of the catheter injectiondevice of FIG. 17 through 19, showing the manner in which the needleassembly is mounted within the device;

FIG. 21 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional viewthrough the pleated portion of the catheter containing body of thecatheter injection device of FIGS. 17 through 20, showing the manner inwhich air bubbles are trapped therein;

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the rear endportion of a catheter injection device constituting a variation of theform of catheter injec tion device shown in FIGS. 18 through 21;

FIG. 23 is a plan view of a non-self-contained liquidfree form of thepresent invention packaged in a flexible, transparent sealed bag, whichdevice must be connected to a conventional liquid containing syringeunit or the like to form an overall assembly capable of injecting acatheter into a blood vessel or the like;

FIG. 24 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the catheterinjection device of FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the catheterinjection device of FIG. 24 assembled with a conventional syringe unit;

FIG. 26 is a greatly enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the frontend portion of the assembly of FIG. 24, showing the manner in which airis ejected from the assembly;

FIG. 27 is another form of the invention comprising anon-seIf-contained, liquid-free catheter injection device which forms acomplete catheter injection device when connected to a conventionalinfusion bottle assembly;

FIG. 28 shows the connection of the catheter injection device of FIG. 27to an infusion bottle assembly;

FIG. 29 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the catheterinjection device shown in FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the front endportion of the catheter injection device of FIG. 29 after a needle coverhas been removed therefrom;

FIG. 31 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the squeeze-bulbportion of the catheter injection device of FIGS. 27 through 30 afterthe same has been operated to inject a catheter into a blood vessel andbefore re-establishment of infusion;

FIG. 32 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the front endportion of the catheter injection device of FIG. 30 after a catheter hasbeen injected into a blood vessel and the needle withdrawn within aneedle retraction sleeve, where infusion of liquid through the catheteris to be effected through the catheter injection device;

FIG. 33 is a view showing the separation of the catheter and infusionliquid-receiving connector from the rest of the catheter injectiondevice when it is desired to feed an infusion liquid through thecatheter separately from the catheter injection device; and

FIG. 34 is a longitudinal sectional view of the catheter and infusionliquid-receiving connector of FIG. 33 attached to the complementaryconnector of the infusion bottle assembly of FIG. 28.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION SHOWN IN FIGS. 1-12 The embodiment of theinvention shown in FIGS. l-12 is a catheter injection device 2 which isa self-contained, sterile liquid-containing device resembling a needlesyringe unit. It includes a catheter-containing body assembly 6comprising a cylindrical barrel 6a, which may be made of a suitablesynthetic plastic material such as polyethylene and the like, from thefront end of which extends a catheter feeding needle 6b. The needle hasattached thereto a conventional hub 7 preferably made of a syntheticplastic material which hub interflts in a conventional way with thereduced nose portion 8 at the front end of the barrel 6a. The rear endof the barrel 6a terminates in a pair of laterally extendingfinger-receiving wings 10-10 and is open slidably to receive the bodyportion of a plunger stem 6c which may be made of the same syntheticplastic material as the barrel 6a. The plunger stem 60 has at the frontend thereof a head portion 12 which makes a sealing and slidingengagement with the inner surface of the cylindrical chamber 14 of thebarrel 6a. A catheter 12 is coiled within the cylindrical barrel chamber14 which retains the same in a neatly coiled condition so the coils willeasily uncoil under the force of the forwardly moving catheter ahead ofthe same front end portion of the catheter extends substantially intothe lumen 16 of the needle 6b. The catheter 12 is shown provided withequally spaced index marks 13 thereon to provide an indication of thedistance between the front end of the catheter and any given positionthereon in a manner to be described. The tip 12' of the catheter isbeveled for reasons previously explained and marked with a wide marker13 so that upon withdrawal of the catheter from a blood vessel the usercan identify the end of the catheter to be certain that no catheterbreakage has taken place. The barrel chamber 14 is filled with asuitable sterile liquid 18 such as a saline solution which also fillsthe needle lumen 16 and a space in front of a needle cover 20 whoseclosed front end snugly surrounds the needle 6b and forms a tight liquidseal therewith at a point just rearward of the beveled front end of theneedle. The rear open end of the needle cover 20 flares outwardly andsnugly engages around the beveled front end por tion of an infusionliquid-receiving connector 22 snugly but slidably disposed around thebase portion of the needle just in front of the needle hub 7. The needlecover maintains a seal even during the sterilizing process preferablyused, which is an autoclaving process. The needle cover 20, connector 22and the needle hub 7 are enclosed by an outer dust cover-formingenclosure 24 which is closed at its front end and open at its rear endwhere it telescopes snugly around the front of the main body portion ofthe barrel 6a. The outer enclosure 24 and the needle cover 20 may bemade of a suitable synthetic plastic material, such as polyethylene andthe like.

Although, in accordance with the broadest aspects of the invention, thecatheter 12 could be made of an uncoiled rigid or semi-rigid fiaterial,it is most advantageous that the catheter be made of a material which isso limp that it was not heretofore thought possible to inject the sameinto a blood vessel, manually or otherwise. The catheter 12, which ismost desirable made of a silicone elastomer or other similar inert limp,resilient material, is so limp and pliable that it has the consistencyof gum rubber or a wet noodle. Silicone elastomer materials are in solidform incompressible but when hollow like a catheter can becompressedinwardly. It is also of significance that the catheter 12 bemade of a material which can remain in a fairly tightly coiled conditionas illustrated indefinitely without any significant curvature settingtherein, so that the catheter will at all times uncoil in a straightcondition when it is fed through the needle. If the catheter had anysubstantial curvature set therein, the catheter could readily catch onthe walls of the needle or housing making it impossible to feed thecatheter from the needle.

The catheter 12 must be of a size during a catheter ejection operationto. pass freely but preferably with a small clearance through the needlelumen 16. In one exemplary form of the invention, the diameter of theneedle lumen was 0.052 inch, the outer diameter of the catheter was0.047 inches and the inner diameter of the passageway within thecatheter was 0.025 inches. (It should be understood that the variousdimensions are given by way of example only since the dimensionsobviously vary widely with the desired catheter size and other factors.)A small clearance space is preferred between the needle lumen and thecatheter so that a small movement of the plunger stem 6c will resultpreferably in a high velocity flow of liquid around the catheter toprovide a moving fluid cushion around the catheter which will impel thesame from the needle and uncoil the catheter. The limpness of thecatheter allows the catheter to uncoil with ease and to readily enablethe catheter to be centered in the blood stream and to readily allow thesame to pass around obstructions and sharp bends in the blood vessel.Also the momentum of the extremely limp catheter material adds much tothe amazing easy injection of the catheter substantial distances intothe blood vessels involved. Thus, it was found that the velocity ofejection of the catheter is substantially greater for a long catheter.It was found, for example, that a movement of the plunger stem 6c toeffect delivery of 1 cc. of fluid was sufficient to uncoil and eject alimp catheter having lengths of from 12 or more inches into a vessel.This generally means that the syringe plunger 6c need be advanced only asmall fraction of an inch to impel a catheter of 12 to 26 inches andmore.

It would be especially undesirable to have liquid flowing through thecatheter under such pressure conditions that the catheter would expandoutwardly against the lumen-defining walls of the needle 6b, which wouldprevent the free movement of the catheter through the needle. To thisend, it would appear desirable to make the cross-sectional area of thepassageway within the catheter substantially less than that of theclearance space between the catheter and the lumenforming wall of theneedle 6. However, with the exemplary dimensions given above, thecross-sectional area of the catheter passageway is actually larger thanthat of the clearance space fo r the catheter. This curious result isdue probably to the fact that because of the length of the catheterbehind the needle there is a much greater frictional opposition to theflow of liquid at the interface between the liquid and the inner wallsof the catheter than there is at the interface between the liquid andthe inner walls of the needle passageway which results in a lowerpressure inside the catheter where it enters the needle. Although thereis liquid within the catheter before the same is impelled, theapplication of the pressure results only in the forward flow of catheterimpelling liquid around the catheter, the liquid within the catheterhaving no appreciable forward component of flowrelative to the forwardmoving catheter. Consequently, no liquid flows from inside the catheterduring catheter ejectionv To inject the catheter into a vessel, it isobviously necessary first to remove the outer enclosure 24 and theneedle cover 20. A tourniquet is placed on the limb involved, and afterinsertion of the end of the needle 6b through the skin 25 into the vein27 as shown in FIG. 3, a small depression imparted to the plunger stern6c will place pressure on the saline solution 18 to force the liquidaround the catheter in the needle 6b which will surprisingly eject theentire length of the catheter 12 from the barrel 6a except for the rearend thereof. As best shown in FIG. A, the rear end of the catheter 12preferably has a two-step enlargement, the first step of the enlargementbeing identified by reference numeral 12a and the second step thereofbeing identified by reference numeral 12b. The inner end of the firstenlargement 12a joins the catheter body in front of the same through aforwardly tapered or beveled portion 12a (FIGS. 5, 5A and 8). The wallthickness of the first and second enlargements are progressively greaterthan that of the rest of the catheter to provide an increase rigiditywith diameter. As shown in FIG. 5, the outer diameter of the firstenlargement 12a is somewhat greater then the inner diameter of theneedle 6b so that when the taper 1211 at the enlargement 12a reaches theneedle 6b the clearance space between the catheter and the needle lumenis reduced to zero and the catheter stops. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, thetapered front end portion 12a of the first enlargement 12a enters theneedle lumen; At that time, the pressure of liquid in the passageway ofthe catheter, will expand the expandable catheter outwardly to force thesame snugly against the needle wall which maintains the stoppage ofmovement of the catheter through the needle.

As previously indicated, the fact that the size of the enlargement 12ais greater than the inner diameter of the needle also frictionally keepsthe catheter in the needle and prevents any passable backward movementof the catheter which could bring the catheter against the sharp end ofthe needle to sever the catheter. Such backward movement without afriction fit could occur if the user withdrew the plunger stem (is.

Referring now to FIG. 6, after the catheter has been injected to itsmaximum degree into the blood vessel involved, the tourniquet applied tothe patients arm may be removed. Blood may back flow into thecatheter tofill at least in part the same with blood. The needle 6b is thenwithdrawn from the patient and, in a manner to be described, thecatheter 12 is removed from the needle to permit the catheter tmached toa source of infusion liquid by means of the infusion liquid-receivingconnector 22. After the needle 6b has been removed from the patient, ifthe doctor desires less than the full length of the catheter to extendinto the blood vessel involved, he withdraws the catheter the properdistance by counting the number of index marks 13 of the catheter 12which are removed from the patient during the withdrawal of thecatheter.

The infusion liquid-receiving connector 22 has a front cylindricalportion 22a and a rear outwardly flaring portion 22b. The front portion22a of the connector 22 has a passageway 30 therein interruptedpreferably by one or more grooves 32 to minimize the area of the definedwalls of the passageway 30 which frictionally engages the needle 6b, sothat the connector can be easily pulled from the needle by pulling thesame down along the needle 61) to a point where it slides off the needleand surrounds the catheter 12 as shown in FIG. 7. The connectorpassageway 30 merges with a relatively short opening 34 of greaterdiameter which opening is of a size to accommodate the outermostenlargement 12b of the catheter. The first enlargement 12a of thecatheter is of a size which snugly fits within the connector passageway30. The opening 34 within the front portion 22a of the connector 22joins a still larger cylindrical space 36 which is of a sinefrictionally to receive the nose portion 38 of a connector 40 (see FIG.11) at the end of an infusion bottle assembly 39 to be described.

The enlargements 12a and 12b at the end of the catheter 12 are made ofsuch a size and thickness as illustrated so that by pulling on thecatheter 12 the enlargements will distend in length and contract indiameter so the catheter can be readily pulled through the needle 6b, asshown in FIGS. 8 and 9. When the catheter is removed from the needle 6b,the catheter is pulled to the front of the connector 18 where theinnermost enlargement 12a snugly fits within the aforementionedconnector passageway 30 and the outermost enlargement 12b fits withinthe aforementioned connector opening 34, as shown in FIG. 10 where,because of the relative thickness and size thereof, it acts as a stopabutment preventing the catheter from being pulled through the connectorpassageway 30. The outwardly flaring rear portion 22b of the connector22 defines a skirt which prevents the end of the catheter from droppingupon an unsterile surface when the end of the catheter leaves the needle61;. It is, of course, important to keep sterile those outer surfaces ofthe catheter which engage that part of the connector 22 which can becontacted by the infusion liquid to be directed through the catheter 12.

The separation of the catheter from the needle is desirable for a numberof reasons including the fact that after catheter injection the needlecan be disposed of so that there is no problem of keeping the needlefrom scratching the patients skin or puncturing the catheter. However,the catheter need not be separated from the needle. The needle hub 7 isof a standard shape so after catheter injection where the enlarged endof the catheter is sealed within the rear end of the needle, the needlecan be removed from the barrel 6a and connected to the connector 40 ofthe infusion bottle assembly. In such case, the infusion liquidreceivingconnector 22 is pulled down to a point where it covers the sharp beveledend of the needle 6b as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 6.

The conventional infusion bottle assembly 39 illustrated in FIG. 12includes a relatively long flexible tube 43 extending from an invertedbottle 44 containing the infusion fluid. The bottle 44 includes a strap47 extending around the bent portion 48 of a horizontally extending arm50 of a support stand 51. The arm 50 extends from a vertical rod section52 vertically adjustable within a tubular base 54. The flow of fluidfrom the bottle 44 is controlled by a pinch clamp 46 applied around aportion of the tube 43. Before the connector 22 to which the catheter 12is attached is connected to the infusion bottle assembly connector 40,the clamp 46 is released so that the entire length of the tube 43 andthe connector 40 is filled with the infusion fluid involved, so thatthere is no air which passes along with the infusion fluid. Aspreviously indicated, the catheter 12 extending from the patient isfilled with blood and/or a portion of the injecting fluid so that it toois free of air.

It should be noted that in the embodiment of the invention justdescribed the saline solution 18 within the barrel 6a makes contact withthe needle hub 7. If the needle hub 7 were made of a metal likealuminum, the saline solution will corrode the same if the hub issubjected thereto for prolonged periods of time. The use of a needlewith a synthetic plastic hub as described, although desirable, ispresently unsatisfactory because, the manner in which commerciallyavailable needles with plastic hubs are made, the connection between theplastic hub and metal needle cannot withstand the conditions of thesterilizing process required to sterilize the saline solution-filledcatheter injection device 2.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION OF FIGS. 13-16 The catheter injection deviceshown in FIGS. 13-16 and identified by reference numeral 56 comprises acatheter containing body assembly 58 including a tapered barrel 58apreferably made of polyethylene or other suitable synthetic plasticmaterial, a stainless steel needle 58b secured to the front end of thebarrel 58a, and a depressible end cap 58:: at the rear end of the barrel58a preferably made of a suitable synthetic plastic material likepolyethylene. The barrel 58a defines a forwardly tapering chamber 60which opens onto the front and rear of the barrel 58a. The outer surfaceof the barrel 58a terminates at the rear thereof in a cylindrical rearend portion 62 which sealingly receives the end cap 580. The cathetercontaining body assembly 58 is filled with saline solution 18 and thecatheter is coiled within the end cap 58c and extends through the barrel58a into the needle 58b. The end cap 58c is sufficiently snugly mountedaround the barrel 58a that it forms a liquid seal and remains in theposition illustrated until the user depresses the same inwardly toreduce the volume of the space within the catheter containing bodyassembly 58, to effect ejection of the catheter 12 in the same manner asexplained in connection with the catheter injection device of portion63. The needle 58bisanchored in place at the front end of the noseportion 63 of the barrel 58a by means including a needle holder member64 having a skirt 64 (FIG. 14) which extends securely around and isanchored to the nose portion 63 of the barrel 58a. The needle holdermember 64 has a cylindrical bore 66 therein which receives a deformablebut not too compressible sleeve surrounding the rear end of the needle.As best shown in FIG. 16, the rear end of the needle 58b terminates in aflared end position 58b on the inner side of which the sleeve 70 ismounted. The flared end 58b of the needle abuts against acorrespondingly shaped end surface of the nose portion 63 of the barrel58a. The forward end of the bore 66 of the needle holder member 64 isdefined by a wall or shoulder which presses longitudinally rearwardly onthe sleeve 70 to cause the same to deform outwardly so the sleevebecomes tightly sandwiched between the needle 58b and the defining wallof the bore 66 of the needle holder member 64. The manner in which theneedle 58b is anchored as just described is an inexpensive and effectivemeans for mounting hubless needle bodies, overcoming the problem ofcorrosion present when using needle bodies secured to metal hubs and theproblem of withstanding sterilization conditions when needle bodiesusing conventional plastic hubs are utilized. It should be understood,however, that the form of the invention'shown in this application usingthe unique needle anchoring technique just described could be modifiedto use needle bodies with plastic hubs as shown in the embodiment ofFIG. 2 if the manufacturing techniquesused thereon are improved topermit them to be used in the sterilization process required for thesaline solution-filled embodiments of the invention.

An infusion liquid-receiving connector 68 substantially identical to thepreviously described connector 22 closely surrounds the inner end of theneedle 58b, with the outwardly flaring rear end portion 68!) thereofengaging the front outer surface of the needle holder member 64. Aliquid sealing needle cover 69 like the needle cover 20 previouslydescribed sealingly engages the needle behind the bevel at the front endthereof and engages the forward end of the connector 68. A cylindricalclosure member 71 forms a dust cover around the needle 58b, theconnector 68 and the holder member 64. The closure member 71 which isopen at its rear end, frictionally engages and is anchored around theneedle holder member 64.

THE EMBODIMENTS OF FIGS. 17-22 Refer now more particularly to FIGS.17-19 which shows the most preferred form of a self-contained, catheterinjection device identified by reference numeral 72. This form of theinvention has a housing 74 which encloses the catheter injection device72 (FIGS. 18-19) substantially its entire length, unlike the enclosure24 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 and the enclosure 70 of the embodiment ofFIG. 13 which encloses only the front end portion of the deviceincluding the needle, needle cover and infusion liquid-receivingconnector. The catheter injection device 72 has a catheter containingbody assembly 76 comprising a barrel 76a made of a suitable syntheticplastic material and opened at the front thereof. The barrel 76a isshown cylindrical in shape for most of its length and is interrupted bylongitudinally spaced, accordion-like pleats 78 forming deep peripheralpockets 80 on the interior of the barrel. The pleats 78, which are shownas having generally triangularly shaped cross sections, enables thebarrel to be expanded or contracted preferably at least about percent ofits initial length. The rear end of the barrel 76a has a rearwardlyflaring portion 82 terminating in an enlarged cylindrical end portion 84which is closed off at the end thereof by a concave wall 86. The housing74 has a closed front end 74a and an open rear end 741; which is snuglyapplied over the enlarged end portion 84 of the barrel 76a. The catheter12 is coiled up within the enlarged end portion 84 of the barrel 76a,the catheter extending the length of the barrel and passing into theneedle 76b.

The front end of the barrel 76a is provided with an internal annularlocking rib 88 and external annular locking ribs 92 (FIG. 20). Where, asillustrated, the pleats 78 imparts such flexibility to the barrel 76athat the barrel cannot support itself in a straight condition, thepleated portion of the barrel is given support by a sleeve 92 extendingin close proximity to the barrel 76a within the barrel chamber 90. Thesleeve 92, which like the other parts may be a synthetic plastic moldedpart, has a thick front end portion 94 with a shoulder 93 therein behindwhich extends the aforementioned internal locking rib 88.

The catheter containing housing assembly 76'further includes the needle76b carrying on the inner outwardly flaring end thereof a needlemounting sleeve 95 like the sleeve 70 in FIGS. and 16. The thick frontend portion 94 of the pleat support sleeve 92 presents a forwardlyfacing inwardly tapering conical surface 98 which forms an abutment forthe outwardly flared rear end of the needle 76b. The flared ends ofneedles of various sizes can be accommodated by the forwardly facingconical sleeve surface 98. The needle 76b is anchored in place by aneedle holder member 100 having a cavity 102 therein which opensrearwardly of the member. The cavity 102 hasrecesses 104 correspondingto the external locking ribs 93 of the barrel 76a, permitting the needleholder member 100 to be snapped into place around the front end of thebarrel 76a. The needle holder member 100 has an internal hub 105 with alongitudinal bore 107 therein through which extends the needle 76b. Whenthe needle holder member 100 is snapped into place on the front end ofthe barrel 7 6a, the rearwardly facing end of the internal hub 105 ofthe needle holder member 100 deforms the needle mounting sleeve 95 so itconforms to the irregular shape of the conical surface 98 at the frontend of the sleeve 92, thereby securely to anchor the needle 76b inplace, as best shown in FIG. 20.

The needle 76b carries a needle cover 110 which snugly is applied aroundthe needle to cover and seal the same in the same manner as the otherneedle covers previously described, and an infusion liquid-receivingconnector 112 positioned at the rear end of the needle cover 110. Theconnector 112 is identical to the infusion liquid-receiving connectorspreviously described in connection with the other embodiments of theinvention.

The various interconnecting spaces within the catheter injection device72 are filled with a sterilized saline solution 113 as in the case ofthe other embodiments of the invention. The catheter injection device 72is used in a manner similar to the other catheter injection devicespreviously described except that the saline solution is ejected aroundthe catheter by placing the thumb against the concave rear wall 86 ofthe barrel 76a and the other fingers in front of the pleats 78 andpulling the thumb toward the fingers so the volume of the chamber withinthe barrel is reduced, so the catheter impelling liquid is forcedthrough the needle 76b and around the catheter 12 to eject the same inthe manner described previously. If there should be any air bubbleswithin the barrel chamber, the deep pockets 80 formed by the pleats 78in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 will catchany air bubbles moving toward the needle and entrap the same as shown inFIG. 21 if the catheter injection device is operated in a position wherethe needle end points in a v EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION OF FIGS. 23-25As previously indicated, it is desirable to manufac ture and package acatheter injection device in a dry state (i.e. without the presence ofany sterile catheter impelling liquid) when a source of such a liquid isavailable at the point of use of the catheter injection device. To thisend, the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 23-25 was developed.1

The catheter injection device 112 shown in FIGS. 23-25 is preferablypackaged in a transparent synthetic plastic bag 114 in which it can besterilized in accordance with well-known gas sterilizing techniques. Thecatheter injection device 112 includes a catheter containing bodyassembly 115 including a short barrel 115a having a relatively largecylindrical portion 117 closed by a cap 119 having a hollow neck 121projecting rearwardly therefrom with an open-ended passageway 123communicating with a catheter containing chamber 125 in the barrel 115a.The neck 12] is adapted to interfit with the nose portion 127 of aconventional syringe unit barrel 129 shown in FIG. 25 or with theconnector 40 of an infusion bottle assembly where infusion of liquid isto be made through the catheter injection device 112. In the exemplarybarrel 115a, the barrel has a forwardly tapering wall portion 131extending from the front end of the cylindrical barrel portion 117, wallportion 131 terminating in a cylindrical neck 133 having an aperturedend wall 135. Extending forwardly from the apertured end wall 135 is ahollow cylindrical sleeve 137 in which is mounted a needle 1 15bcarrying at the rear end thereof a deformable sleeve 139. The sleeve 139on the needle 115b serves the same purpose as the sleeve 95 on theneedle 76b described in connection with the embodiment of the inventionas shown in FIG. 18. The needle 1 15b has a flared end 140 which engagesthe end wall 135 of the neck 133 of the barrel 1154 around an aperture142 therein. The needle sleeve 139 is expanded tightly into engagementwith the defining walls of the needlereceiving chamber 144 within thesleeve 137 by an internal hub 146 of a needle holder member 148 which issnapped into a position around the sleeve 137. An interfittingprojection 137a and recess 148a are provided on the sleeve 137 and theneedle holder member 148. An infusion liquid-receiving connector 150surrounds the needle lb immediately behind the needle .holder member148. The connector 150 is of the same construction and serves the samefunction as the previously described infusion liquid-receivingconnectors. The barrel 115a contains a coiled up catheter 12 which has aportion extending into the needle 1 15b.

The front end of the needle l15b is initially covered by an open-endedneedle cover generally indicated by reference numeral 152. As best shownin FIG. 26, the needle cover 152 has a main cylindrical portion 152adefining a corresponding cylindrically shaped passageway 154 therein,the defining walls of which snugly engage the needle 115b. The needlecover member 152 has a rearwardly outwardly flaring portion 152b whichengages around the front end portion of the infusion liquid-receivingconnector 150 (FIG. 24).

The needle cover 152 has a nose portion 1520 which has a generallyspherically shaped cavity 156 therein in which is located thespherically shaped protuberance 158 of a catheter holding member 160.The catheter holding member 160 is a tubular member having an open-endedpassageway 162 therein extending the full length of the catheter holdingmember 160. The catheter holding member 160 has a portion 160aprojecting forwardly of the protuberance 158 and the nose portion 1526of the needle cover member 152, and a portion 160!) extending rearwardlyfrom the protuberance 158 within the cylindrical chamber 154 of theneedle holding member 152. The rear portion 16% of the catheter holdingmember 160 passes within the needle 1 15b and forms an abutment whichprevents the expulsion of the catheter 12 from the needle when liquid isforced in and through the barrel 115a when the same is connected to thesyringe unit 129. The beveled tip 12 of the catheter forms a clearancespace 161 between the tip of the catheter 12 and the confronting openend of the rear portion 160!) of the catheter holding member 160 throughwhich air and liquid can pass into the open-ended passageway 162 in thecatheter holding member. The catheter holding member 160 and the needlecover member 152 are removed as a unit from the needle after air hasbeen expunged from the barrel 115a and catheter injection is to beinitiated.

The manner in which the initially dry catheter injection device 1 12 isused can be best explained as follows. At the point of use, the package114 is opened so that the catheter injection device 112 can be removedtherefrom. The syringe unit 129, which is initially provided with aneedle (not shown) attached to the nose portion 127 thereof, is filledwith a saline solution (or other suitable sterile injection fluid) bypuncturing the soft cap of a saline solution containing a bottle or thelike (not shown) with the syringe needle and drawing the saline solutioninto the chamber 129 of the syringe unit by withdrawing the plunger stem12% from the chamber. Air is then expunged from the syringe unit in theusual way by pointing the needle upwards so all of the air rises to thetop of the chamber and then depressing the plunger stem to drive air andsome saline solution from the needle. The needle is then withdrawn fromthe noseportion 127 of the syringe unit and the neck 121 of the catheterinjection device 112 is inserted in place within the nose portion 127 ofthe syringe unit 129 to replace the needle removed therefrom. Theplunger stem 12% of the syringe unit 129 is then again depressed toforce saline solution through the barrel a and the needle 11511 of thecatheter injection device 112 while the needle is pointed upwards todrive the air from the catheter injection device. The catheter holdingmember then acts to prevent ejection of the catheter 12 from the needle115b as previously indicated. The assembly of the catheter holdingmember 160 and the needle cover member 152 may then be removed so thatfurther depression of the plunger stem 12% of the syringe unit 129 willimpel the catheter 12 through the needle into the blood vessel involved.After the catheter 12 is fully injected into the blood vessel andwithdrawn the desired distance, the catheter 12 may be removed from theneedle 11512 and securely anchored within the infusion liquid-receivingconnector 150 which is then attached to the connector 40 (FIG. 13) atthe end of an infusion bottle assembly in the same manner previouslydescribed in connection with the other embodiments of the invention.Alternatively, as previously indicated, the rear end of the, catheter 12can be left in its sealed position within the rear end of the needle115b and the neck 121 of the barrel 115a attached to the infusion bottleassembly connector 40.

The next embodiment of the invention to be described is a catheterinjection device secured to an infusion bottle assembly before injectionof the catheter, and wherein the liquid from the infusion bottleassembly is used as the catheter impelling fluid and infusion of theliquid into the blood vessel may begin immediately after injection ofthe catheter into the patient without any additional operations exceptfor the adjustment of the pinch clamp of the infusion bottle assembly tocontrol the rate of flow of the infusion liquid.

THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION OF FIGS. 27-34 A catheter injectiondevice 164 is shown in FIGS. 27-34 initially packaged in a sterilizedstate in a suitable transparent container or bag 165 made of atransparent synthetic plastic sheet material in which the device may begas sterilized in a conventional way. The catheter injection device 164includes a catheter containing body assembly 166 comprising a maintubular body portion 166a which may be made of a suitable syntheticplastic tubing. The rear end of the tubing terminates in a bulb-likeportion 166b, also made of a synthetic plastic material, which is thefluid pressure applying means of the catheter injection device 164. Thecatheter containing body assembly further includes a hollow needle hub168 which is somewhat larger than the tubing 166a and over which hub thetubing is securely anchored. A needle 166c is anchored within the hub168. The needle lumen 170 forms a continuation of an open-endedpassageway 174 within the tubing 166a. The catheter 12 extends throughthe passageway 174 and part of the length of the needle 1660. Where thelength of catheter desired is longer than the distance between thebulb-like portion 16612 of the catheter containing body assembly 166 anda point near the forward end of the needle 1660, the catheter 12 iscoiled up within the bulb-like portion 166b.

The bulb-like portion 166b is most advantageously a member having adome-shaped depressible wall 175 joining a generally cylindrical sidewall 177 through a thickened annular portion 179. The tubing 166aextends within an extension 180 of the cylindrical wall 177 where thetubing communicates with a chamber 182 within the bulb-like portion16Gb. A short tubular section 184 communicates with the chamber 182 andforms a nose portion for snugly receiving the connector 40 at the end ofthe infusion bottle assembly 39.

The depressible dome-shaped wall 175 when depressed snaps into aninverted shape as shown in FIG. 31, so that once the bulb is compressed,the depressed wall 175 remains collapsed to avoid the possibility ofcreating a negative pressure in the catheter injection device whichcould draw air into the device after the catheter 12 has been injectedinto the patient by depression of the wall 175 and the needle 166a iswithdrawn from the blood vessel involved.

The end of the needle 1660 carries a needle cover 185 to which isattached a tubular catheter holding member 187 which has the sameconstruction and function as the aforesaid described catheter holdingmember 160 referred to in connection with the description of theembodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 23-26. The base portion ofthe needle 1660 is initially tightly enveloped by the nose portion 190of an infusion liquid-receiving connector 189 which has a hollowcylindrical rear portion 191 which fits within the front end of a needleretraction sleeve 194. The rear end of the needle retraction sleeve 194has a tapered portion 194a which defines an opening 196 into acylindrical space 199 within the sleeve 194. The tubing 166a fits with aslide friction fit into the opening 196. The needle hub 168 with thetubing 166a thereover makes a slide friction fit within the sleeve 194.When the catheter injection device is packaged, however, the needle hub168 is positioned from the infusion liquid-receiving connector 189, asbest shown in FIGS. 27 and 29.

As best shown in FIG. 34, the internal construction of the connector 189resembles that of the front portion of the infusion liquid-receivingconnector utilized in the other embodiments of the invention. Thus, thecylindrical rear portion 191 of the connector 189 has a cylindricalopening 200 for snugly receiving the end of the connector 40 of theinfusion bottle assembly 39. Connector 189 is also provided with arecess 202 for receiving the outermost enlarged portion 12b of the rearend of the catheter 12. The nose portion 190 of the connector 189 has apassageway 206 therein which is somewhat smaller in size then the firstenlargement 12a at the end of the catheter l2 and of the needle 1666.

To connect the catheter injection device to an infusion bottle assembly,the package 165 is opened and the end portion thereof including thebulb-like portion l66b is removed from the package and the projectingnose portion 184 thereof is connected to the connector 40 at the end ofthe infusion bottle assembly 39 as best shown in FIG. 28. To prepare thecatheter injection device for use, while the rest of the catheterinjection device is left in the package 165, the package with the devicetherein is picked up and held so that the tip of the catheter holdingmember 187 carried thereby are removed by pulling the same from the endof the needle. The needle 1660 is then inserted into the blood ves selinvolved after a tourniquet has been applied in the usual manner forcatheter injection and the depressible wall of the bulb-like portion16612 is depressed to inject the catheter 12 into the blood vesselinvolved.

There are two ways in which the catheter injection device now can beutilized for feeding of infusion liquids. In the more commonly usedapplication of the invention, such as intravenous feeding and bloodtrans fusions it is desired to have infusion feeding through the entireassembly of the catheter injection device described. This use requires afull ejection of the catheter so a liquid tight seal is formed betweenthe enlarged end of the catheter and the connector 189. After withdrawalof the needle from the patient, the user grasps the needle retractionsleeve 194 in one hand and pulls on the tubing 166a to bring the needlehub portion 168 closer to the rear of the sleeve 194 where the tip ofthe needle is retracted within the connector 189. The assembly of theconnector 189 and the sleeve 194 may then be taped to the patients armor other portion of the body where catheter injection has occurred, andinfusion feeding proceeds by once again releasing the pinch clamp to theextent necessary to provide the proper feeding rate. The resumption offlow of infusion fluid through the bulb-like portion 166b will generallycause the depressed wall 175 thereof to return to its initial convexshape if it has not already been pushed into this shape in the mannerdescribed. The second application of the catheter injection deviceillustrated is one wherein all the components making up this deviceexcept the catheter 12 and the infusion liquid-receiving connector 189are to be disposed of after injection of the catheter 12. In such case,the connection to the infusion bottle assembly is made through theconnector 189. In such case, the needle 1660 is withdrawn from the bloodvessel involved and the needle tip is retracted within the connector 189in the same manner previously described. The connector 189 and thesleeve 194 are then grasped and squeezed so that the assembly of thecatheter, connector and sleeve are held together as a unit. Then, thetubular body portion 166a is pulled so the needle 166s attached theretois pulled over the enlarged end of the catheter as shown in FIG. 33 andis removed from the sleeve 194. The sleeve 194 then acts like thecatheter holding skirt of the infusion liquid-receiving connectors ofthe previously described embodiments of the invention by preventing thecatheter from dropping upon contaminating surfaces. The catheter is thenpulled fully into the connector 189 where it is drawn into its extremeposition therein, as shown in FIG. 34, and the sleeve 194 is pulled fromthe connector 189 and thrown away. The rear cylindrical portion 191 ofthe connector 189 is then connected to the connector 40 of the infusionbottle assembly also shown in FIG. 34.

The catheter injection device 164 could be modified so the bulb-likeportion l66b is eliminated and the device integrated with the infusionbottle assembly tube 43 so the tubular body portion 166a forms acontinuation of the tube 43. The bulb-like portion 166b can be merely acollapsible portion of the tube 43 or a collapsible drip chamber 43 forthe infusion bottle (see FIG. 28) with a shut-off valve provided abovethe same (not shown).

It is apparent that the various embodiments of the present inventionprovide an exceedingly effective, easy to use, and relativelyinexpensive means for injecting catheters into blood vessels. Aspreviously indicated, the same principles of the invention utilized inthe injection of catheters by liquid into blood vessels can be appliedin injecting catheters or other slim elongated members into otherpassageways of the body with liquid or air.

It should be understood that numerous modifications may be made in themost preferred forms of the invention described without deviating fromthe broader aspects of the invention.

I claim:

1. A medical injection device for injecting an elongated member into apassageway of the body of an animal or human, the device including ahousing having a feeding nose portion with means for emplacing thefeeding nose portion in said passageway and from which feeding noseportion said elongated member is to be ejected into said passagewayafter the feeding nose portion has been inserted therein, said feedingnose portion having an open-ended lumen communicating with afluid-holding space within said housing, a limp elongated member to beinjected into said passageway located in said space and having its frontend extending into or in close proximity to said feeding nose portionlumen where at least when pressure is applied to said space there is aclearance between said elongated member and the defining walls of saidfeeding nose portion lumen and so the entire front end of the elongatedmember and the portion behind the same except for the rear end portionthereof can be impelled through said feeding nose portion lumen and beguided thereby into said body passageway said elongated member having agum rubber-like limp consistency, means for preventing the ejection ofthe rear end portion of said elongated member from said feeding noseportion lumen, and means for selectively applying pressure to fluid insaid space to provide a cushion of fluid flowing around said elongatedmember and out of said feeding nose portion which fluid cushion impelsthe elongated member through the outer end of the feeding nose portionlumen where it is ejected from the device.

2. The injection device of claim 1 wherein said feeding nose portion isa eannulated needle whose front end can pierce skin and tissue, and saidinjection device includes means for preventing the reverse movement ofsaid catheter after termination of said application of fluid pressure.

3. The injection device of claim 1 wherein said elongated member has apermanently unset conformation so it has a substantially straightconformation when guided into such a conformation, said elongated memberhaving a portion coiled a number of times in said housing so it has alength much greater than the length of said barrel-like member and heldin a coiled condition where the catheter readily uncoils.

4. The injection device of claim 1 wherein said feeding nose portion isa eannulated needle adapted to be extended into a blood vessel intowhich the member is to be injected.

5. The injection device of claim 1 wherein said elongated member isbeveled at the front tip thereof.

6. The injection device of claim 4 wherein said fluid is a sterileliquid, said housing is initially completely separate from said liquid,the assembly of said housing and feeding nose portion and elongatedmember being packaged dry in a sterile condition and sealed within anenclosure, and said housing includes liquid-passing connecting means forexternally connecting the same to a source of said liquid when saidenclosure is opened to permit such connection.

7. The injection device of claim 6 wherein said is a barrel-like member,and said fluid forcing means is a syringe-like unit containing saidsterile liquid.

8. The injection device of claim 1 wherein the elongated member isresilient and has a permanently unset conformation so it has asubstantially straight conformation when guided into such aconformation, said elongated member having a portion coiled a number oftimes within the housing so it has an overall length much greater thanthe length of the housing, and said coiled portion of said elongatedmember resiliently engaging a portion of said housing which holds thecoils in position readily to unwind one coil at a time.

9. A medical injection device for injecting an elongated member into apassageway of an animal or human, the device in-cluding a housing havinga feeding nose portion from which nose portion said elongated member isto be'ejected into said passage-way, and includes means for emplacingthe feeding nose portion in said passageway, said feeding nose portionhaving an open-ended lumen communicating with a space for holding liquidwithin said housing, a elongated member to be injected into saidpassageway and located in said housing space and having its front endextending into or in close proximity to said feeding nose portion lumenwhere at least when pressure is applied to said space there is aclearance between said elongated member and the defining walls of saidfeeding nose portion lumen and so the entire front end of the elongatedmember and the portion behind the same except for the rear end portionthereof can be impelled through said feeding nose portion lumen, saidelongated member having a gum rubber-like consistency, means forpreventing the ejection of the rear end portion of said elongated memberfrom said feeding nose portion lumen, and means for selectively applyingpressure to liquid in said space for pressurizing said liquid aroundsaid elongated member to provide a cushion of liquid flowing around saidelongated member and out of said feeding nose portion which impels theelongated member through the outer end of the feeding nose portion lumenwhere it is ejected from the device, and the clearance space between theelongated member and the walls of the nose portion lumen being so smallduring application of said pressure that a relatively small volume ofliquid relative to the volume of liquid required to fill said space isrequired to impel the entire length of the elongated member into saidpassageway.

10. The injection device of claim 9 wherein said elongated member is acatheter where both ends thereof are initially open so flow of saidliquid through said catheter is theoretically possible, but the relativesize of the catheter interior and exterior dimensions and that of saidclearance between the catheter and the feeding nose portion lumen aresuch that the relative friction and pressure condition inside and aroundthe catheter result in little or no liquid passing through the catheterduring the ejection thereof from said feeding nose portion of thedevice.

11. The injection device of claim 1 wherein the elongated member is acatheter open at both ends and which can expand outwardly when there isa positive pressure inside the catheter, and the clearance space betweenthe catheter and the wall of the surrounding nose portion passagewayduring catheter injection is such that the pressure conditions aroundthe catheter will be greater than the pressure conditions within thecatheter so that the catheter will not expand outwardly against thewalls of the feeding nose portion lumen to jam therein during catheterinjection.

12. The injection device of claim 11 wherein the elongated member is acatheter open at both ends and is made of a relatively flexible materialwhich can expand outwardly when there is a positive pressure inside thecatheter, and the rear end of the catheter has an enlargement which,when the end of the catheter reaches the feeding nose portion lumen,leaves little or no clearance space between the catheter and thewalls ofthe feeding nose portion lumen, so that suddenly pressure in thecatheter expands the catheter outwardly positively to lock the sameagainst the walls of the feeding nose portion lumen to prevent the endof the catheter from leaving the same.

13. The injection device of claim 1 wherein said fluid is a sterileliquid and said housing has relatively deep annular pockets at theperiphery thereof which catch and hold gas bubbles.

14. The injection device of claim 13 wherein said pockets are formed bysemi-rigid but flexible longitudinally spaced pleats formed in the wallsof said housing to form accordian pleated-like fluid forcing means, thehousing being longitudinally collapsible by collapsing said pleats, toprovide the pressure therein for ejecting the elongated member from thedevice into said passageway.

15. The injection device of claim 1 wherein said pressure applying meanscomprise pleats formed in said housing enabling the housing to expand orcontract at least about 10% of its normal extent and said housing isinitially completely filled with a sterile liquid constituting saidfluid.

16. A device for feeding a catheter through a hollow feeding noseportion into a blood vessel or other passageway, the device comprising:a body from which the feeding nose portion extends, the body and feedingnose portion defining a space, a catheter in said space to be fedthrough the feeding nose portion into the passageway involved, thecatheter being made of a resilient readily manually stretchable materialand having an enlarged portion at the rear end portion thereof whichprevents the passage thereof from said space so the rear end portion ofthe catheter cannot be ejected from the device, said enlarged portion atthe rear end of the catheter being such that, by manually pulling on theportion of the catheter projecting from the feeding nose portion, theenlarged portion will distend to a point where the catheter slips fromsaid space through said feeding nose portion.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the device is provided with aliquid-passing connector adapted to fit a complimentary liquid-passingconnector communicating with a liquid-holding container, saidliquid-passing connector and catheter, on the one hand, and at leastsaid feeding nose portion of said body on the other hand being manuallyseparable after the catheter has been injected into said passageway, andsaid connector having a passageway initially in spaced surroundingrelationship with said catheter and with a passageway portion withinwhich the rear end portion of the catheter sealingly tits at least afterthe catheter has been injected into said passageway and at least saidfeeding nose portion of said body has been separated from said catheterand connector.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said enlarged portion at the end ofthe catheter includes an inner section of intermediate enlargement whichsealingly fits within said connector passageway, functionally to holdthe same in place thereon, and an outer section of maximum enlargementwhich acts as a stop preventing the pulling of the catheter through saidconnector unit passageway.

19. The device of claim 17 wherein there is provided means forming 'anenclosure for said catheter which supports the rear end portion of thecatheter when the catheter is separated from said feeding nose portionand is pulled toward the front of the connector sealingly to seat theenlarged rear end portion of the catheter in said passageway portion.

20. The injection device of claim 6 in combination with a sterile liquidcontaining means having connecting means interfitted with saidconnecting means of said device, said sterile liquid containing meansbeing a syringe unit with a plunger which can force sterile liquidthrough said connecting means into said housing to eject said elongatedmember therefrom.

21. A device for injecting an elongated member into a passageway of ananimal or human, the device comprising an initially liquid-free housinghaving a feeding nose portion projecting therefrom and from whichfeeding nose portion said elongated member is to be ejected into saidpassage-way, said feeding nose portion having an open-ended lumencommunicating with a space within said housing, an elongated member tobe injected into said passageway and located in said space and havingits front end portion extending or extendable into said feeding noseportion where the entire front end of the elongated member and theportion behind the same except for the rear end portion thereof can beimpelled through said feeding nose portion when liquid pressure is builtup in said space, said housing including a liquid-passing connector forexternally connecting the same to a complimentary connector of aninitially separate sterile liquid containing unit and a removable memberretaining means attached to the feeding nose portion for holding theelongated member against movement from the feeding nose portion, so aircan first be removed from the device by forcing liquid around the memberfrom said liquid containing unit without feeding the member from thedevice, said member retaining means including an outer sleeve portionremovably secured around said feeding nose por-

1. A medical injection device for injecting an elongated member into apassageway of the body of an animal or human, the device including ahousing having a feeding nose portion with means for emplacing thefeeding nose portion in said passageway and from which feeding noseportion said elongated member is to be ejected into said passagewayafter the feeding nose portion has been inserted therein, said feedingnose portion having an open-ended lumen communicating with afluid-holding space within said housing, a limp elongated member to beinjected into said passageway located in said space and having its frontend eXtending into or in close proximity to said feeding nose portionlumen where at least when pressure is applied to said space there is aclearance between said elongated member and the defining walls of saidfeeding nose portion lumen and so the entire front end of the elongatedmember and the portion behind the same except for the rear end portionthereof can be impelled through said feeding nose portion lumen and beguided thereby into said body passageway said elongated member having agum rubber-like limp consistency, means for preventing the ejection ofthe rear end portion of said elongated member from said feeding noseportion lumen, and means for selectively applying pressure to fluid insaid space to provide a cushion of fluid flowing around said elongatedmember and out of said feeding nose portion which fluid cushion impelsthe elongated member through the outer end of the feeding nose portionlumen where it is ejected from the device.
 1. A medical injection devicefor injecting an elongated member into a passageway of the body of ananimal or human, the device including a housing having a feeding noseportion with means for emplacing the feeding nose portion in saidpassageway and from which feeding nose portion said elongated member isto be ejected into said passageway after the feeding nose portion hasbeen inserted therein, said feeding nose portion having an open-endedlumen communicating with a fluid-holding space within said housing, alimp elongated member to be injected into said passageway located insaid space and having its front end eXtending into or in close proximityto said feeding nose portion lumen where at least when pressure isapplied to said space there is a clearance between said elongated memberand the defining walls of said feeding nose portion lumen and so theentire front end of the elongated member and the portion behind the sameexcept for the rear end portion thereof can be impelled through saidfeeding nose portion lumen and be guided thereby into said bodypassageway said elongated member having a gum rubber-like limpconsistency, means for preventing the ejection of the rear end portionof said elongated member from said feeding nose portion lumen, and meansfor selectively applying pressure to fluid in said space to provide acushion of fluid flowing around said elongated member and out of saidfeeding nose portion which fluid cushion impels the elongated memberthrough the outer end of the feeding nose portion lumen where it isejected from the device.
 2. The injection device of claim 1 wherein saidfeeding nose portion is a cannulated needle whose front end can pierceskin and tissue, and said injection device includes means for preventingthe reverse movement of said catheter after termination of saidapplication of fluid pressure.
 3. The injection device of claim 1wherein said elongated member has a permanently unset conformation so ithas a substantially straight conformation when guided into such aconformation, said elongated member having a portion coiled a number oftimes in said housing so it has a length much greater than the length ofsaid barrel-like member and held in a coiled condition where thecatheter readily uncoils.
 4. The injection device of claim 1 whereinsaid feeding nose portion is a cannulated needle adapted to be extendedinto a blood vessel into which the member is to be injected.
 5. Theinjection device of claim 1 wherein said elongated member is beveled atthe front tip thereof.
 6. The injection device of claim 4 wherein saidfluid is a sterile liquid, said housing is initially completely separatefrom said liquid, the assembly of said housing and feeding nose portionand elongated member being packaged dry in a sterile condition andsealed within an enclosure, and said housing includes liquid-passingconnecting means for externally connecting the same to a source of saidliquid when said enclosure is opened to permit such connection.
 7. Theinjection device of claim 6 wherein said is a barrel-like member, andsaid fluid forcing means is a syringe-like unit containing said sterileliquid.
 8. The injection device of claim 1 wherein the elongated memberis resilient and has a permanently unset conformation so it has asubstantially straight conformation when guided into such aconformation, said elongated member having a portion coiled a number oftimes within the housing so it has an overall length much greater thanthe length of the housing, and said coiled portion of said elongatedmember resiliently engaging a portion of said housing which holds thecoils in position readily to unwind one coil at a time.
 9. A medicalinjection device for injecting an elongated member into a passageway ofan animal or human, the device in-cluding a housing having a feedingnose portion from which nose portion said elongated member is to beejected into said passage-way, and includes means for emplacing thefeeding nose portion in said passageway, said feeding nose portionhaving an open-ended lumen communicating with a space for holding liquidwithin said housing, a elongated member to be injected into saidpassageway and located in said housing space and having its front endextending into or in close proximity to said feeding nose portion lumenwhere at least when pressure is applied to said space there is aclearance between said elongated member and the defining walls of saidfeeding nose portion lumen and so the entire front end of the elongatedmember and the portion behind the same except for the rear end portionthereof can be imPelled through said feeding nose portion lumen, saidelongated member having a gum rubber-like consistency, means forpreventing the ejection of the rear end portion of said elongated memberfrom said feeding nose portion lumen, and means for selectively applyingpressure to liquid in said space for pressurizing said liquid aroundsaid elongated member to provide a cushion of liquid flowing around saidelongated member and out of said feeding nose portion which impels theelongated member through the outer end of the feeding nose portion lumenwhere it is ejected from the device, and the clearance space between theelongated member and the walls of the nose portion lumen being so smallduring application of said pressure that a relatively small volume ofliquid relative to the volume of liquid required to fill said space isrequired to impel the entire length of the elongated member into saidpassageway.
 10. The injection device of claim 9 wherein said elongatedmember is a catheter where both ends thereof are initially open so flowof said liquid through said catheter is theoretically possible, but therelative size of the catheter interior and exterior dimensions and thatof said clearance between the catheter and the feeding nose portionlumen are such that the relative friction and pressure condition insideand around the catheter result in little or no liquid passing throughthe catheter during the ejection thereof from said feeding nose portionof the device.
 11. The injection device of claim 1 wherein the elongatedmember is a catheter open at both ends and which can expand outwardlywhen there is a positive pressure inside the catheter, and the clearancespace between the catheter and the wall of the surrounding nose portionpassageway during catheter injection is such that the pressureconditions around the catheter will be greater than the pressureconditions within the catheter so that the catheter will not expandoutwardly against the walls of the feeding nose portion lumen to jamtherein during catheter injection.
 12. The injection device of claim 11wherein the elongated member is a catheter open at both ends and is madeof a relatively flexible material which can expand outwardly when thereis a positive pressure inside the catheter, and the rear end of thecatheter has an enlargement which, when the end of the catheter reachesthe feeding nose portion lumen, leaves little or no clearance spacebetween the catheter and the walls of the feeding nose portion lumen, sothat suddenly pressure in the catheter expands the catheter outwardlypositively to lock the same against the walls of the feeding noseportion lumen to prevent the end of the catheter from leaving the same.13. The injection device of claim 1 wherein said fluid is a sterileliquid and said housing has relatively deep annular pockets at theperiphery thereof which catch and hold gas bubbles.
 14. The injectiondevice of claim 13 wherein said pockets are formed by semi-rigid butflexible longitudinally spaced pleats formed in the walls of saidhousing to form accordian pleated-like fluid forcing means, the housingbeing longitudinally collapsible by collapsing said pleats, to providethe pressure therein for ejecting the elongated member from the deviceinto said passageway.
 15. The injection device of claim 1 wherein saidpressure applying means comprise pleats formed in said housing enablingthe housing to expand or contract at least about 10% of its normalextent and said housing is initially completely filled with a sterileliquid constituting said fluid.
 16. A device for feeding a catheterthrough a hollow feeding nose portion into a blood vessel or otherpassageway, the device comprising: a body from which the feeding noseportion extends, the body and feeding nose portion defining a space, acatheter in said space to be fed through the feeding nose portion intothe passageway involved, the catheter being made of a resilient readilymanually stretchable material and Having an enlarged portion at the rearend portion thereof which prevents the passage thereof from said spaceso the rear end portion of the catheter cannot be ejected from thedevice, said enlarged portion at the rear end of the catheter being suchthat, by manually pulling on the portion of the catheter projecting fromthe feeding nose portion, the enlarged portion will distend to a pointwhere the catheter slips from said space through said feeding noseportion.
 17. The device of claim 16 wherein the device is provided witha liquid-passing connector adapted to fit a complimentary liquid-passingconnector communicating with a liquid-holding container, saidliquid-passing connector and catheter, on the one hand, and at leastsaid feeding nose portion of said body on the other hand being manuallyseparable after the catheter has been injected into said passageway, andsaid connector having a passageway initially in spaced surroundingrelationship with said catheter and with a passageway portion withinwhich the rear end portion of the catheter sealingly fits at least afterthe catheter has been injected into said passageway and at least saidfeeding nose portion of said body has been separated from said catheterand connector.
 18. The device of claim 17 wherein said enlarged portionat the end of the catheter includes an inner section of intermediateenlargement which sealingly fits within said connector passageway,functionally to hold the same in place thereon, and an outer section ofmaximum enlargement which acts as a stop preventing the pulling of thecatheter through said connector unit passageway.
 19. The device of claim17 wherein there is provided means forming an enclosure for saidcatheter which supports the rear end portion of the catheter when thecatheter is separated from said feeding nose portion and is pulledtoward the front of the connector sealingly to seat the enlarged rearend portion of the catheter in said passageway portion.
 20. Theinjection device of claim 6 in combination with a sterile liquidcontaining means having connecting means interfitted with saidconnecting means of said device, said sterile liquid containing meansbeing a syringe unit with a plunger which can force sterile liquidthrough said connecting means into said housing to eject said elongatedmember therefrom.
 21. A device for injecting an elongated member into apassageway of an animal or human, the device comprising an initiallyliquid-free housing having a feeding nose portion projecting therefromand from which feeding nose portion said elongated member is to beejected into said passage-way, said feeding nose portion having anopen-ended lumen communicating with a space within said housing, anelongated member to be injected into said passageway and located in saidspace and having its front end portion extending or extendable into saidfeeding nose portion where the entire front end of the elongated memberand the portion behind the same except for the rear end portion thereofcan be impelled through said feeding nose portion when liquid pressureis built up in said space, said housing including a liquid-passingconnector for externally connecting the same to a complimentaryconnector of an initially separate sterile liquid containing unit and aremovable member retaining means attached to the feeding nose portionfor holding the elongated member against movement from the feeding noseportion, so air can first be removed from the device by forcing liquidaround the member from said liquid containing unit without feeding themember from the device, said member retaining means including an outersleeve portion removably secured around said feeding nose portion and aportion projecting into said feeding nose portion to act as anobstruction to the movement of said member, the assembly of saidhousing, member retaining means, liquid-passing connector and elongatedmember being packaged dry in a sterile condition in a surrounding sealedcontainer.
 22. THe device of claim 22 wherein said projecting portion ofsaid member retaining means longitudinally projects into the front ofthe feeding nose portion and has an open-ended passageway through whichliquid and air can pass to the outside of the device even when theelongated member is in abutment with the rear end thereof.
 23. Theinjection device of claim 6 wherein said elongated member is a catheter,and said device is combined with a bedside infusion bottle assemblywhich con-stitutes said source of liquid, the infusion bottle assemblyhaving a connector which connects with and forms a liquid passing jointwith said connecting means of said housing.
 24. The injection device ofclaim 6 wherein said elongated member is a catheter and said housing isan elongated tube with said liquid-passing connecting means thereof onthe rear end thereof.
 25. The injection device of claim 24 wherein saidtube includes an enlarged manually compressible section, the compressionof which forces the infusion liquid through the assembly to impel thecatheter through the feeding nose portion.
 26. A device for injecting acatheter into a passageway of an animal or human, the device comprisingan initially liquid-free housing including a body having a needleprojecting from the front thereof and from which needle said catheter isto be ejected into said passageway, said needle having an open-endedlumen communicating with a space within said body, a catheter to beinjected into said passageway located in said space in said body andhaving its front end portion extending or extendable into said needlewhere said entire front end portion of the catheter and the portionbehind the same can be impelled through said needle when liquid pressureis built up in said space, said body including a liquid-passingconnector for externally connecting said space therein to acomplimentary connecting means of an initially separate sterile liquidcontaining unit from which liquid is to be drawn into said space andpressurized for catheter ejection, an open-ended sleeve into which theassembly of said body and needle extend, and a second liquid-passingconnector removably secured to the front end of said sleeve and to whichthe rear end of said catheter is to be connected after catheterinjection, said second liquid-passing connector being adapted whenseparated from said sleeve to make connection with a complimentaryconnector of an external liquid-holding unit, and said catheter havingan enlarged rear end portion which cannot pass through said needleduring catheter ejection but is separable from said needle aftercatheter injection to bring the same into sealed communicating relationwith said second liquid-passing connector.
 27. The device of claim 6wherein said elongated member is a catheter, said feeding nose portionis a cannulated needle and the catheter has means pre-venting the rearend of the same normally from passing through the needle and there isprovided a needle cover positionable around at least the front end ofthe needle after the desired length of catheter has been injected intosaid passageway and the needle withdrawn therefrom.
 28. A method ofinjecting an elongated member a substantial distance into an arteryagainst the flow of blood therein comprising providing a limp elongatedmember of the required length in a space in a body including a hollowfeeding nose portion through which the elongated member is to pass intothe artery from said space, said elongated member being free to bodilymove forwardly through the needle solely under the force applied by afluid in said space and having gum rubber-like limp consistency; placingthe end of said feeding nose portion in said artery so the feeding nosefaces in a direction opposite to the direction of the flow of blood inthe artery; applying fluid pressure to said space to impel the elongatedmember out of said feeding nose portion into the artery and removing thefeeding nose from the artery.
 29. A method of injEcting a catheter asubstantial distance into a blood vessel having bends or constrictionstherein, the method comprising providing a catheter of the requiredlength which is so limp it has the consistency of gum rubber, placingthe catheter into a space in a body of an injection device including ahollow needle through which the catheter is to pass into the bloodvessel from said space, said space being sealed except for itscommunication with the outside of the body through the needle, thecatheter having an enlarged portion which becomes frictionally locked inplace in a portion of the device when the main portion of the catheterhas been ejected from said needle and being of a size such that therewill be a small clearance between it and the walls of the needle atleast when external pressure is applied thereto, and then continuouslyapplying a pressure to said space in said body to impel the catheterinto the blood vessel to a point where said enlargement becomesfrictionally locked in place so a back pressure will not release thesame.
 30. A device for injecting a catheter into a blood vessel of ananimal or human, the device including a body having a feeding noseportion extending therefrom to be inserted into a blood vessel, saidfeeding nose portion having an open-ended passageway communicating witha space within said body which is sealed except for its communicationwith the outside of the body through said feeding nose portion, acatheter to be injected located in said space and having a front portionextending or extendable into said feeding nose portion, said catheterbeing of a size to be bodily fed forwardly through said feeding noseportion into said blood vessel when force is applied thereto, a sourceof sterile liquid attached to said body to be fed through said catheterinto said blood vessel while at least the rear end of the catheterremains in said device, and means for forcing said liquid through saidfeeding nose portion to aid in injecting said member into said bloodvessel by reducing the volume of said space to build up pressuretherein, said liquid forcing means being a substantiallyunidirectionally manually movable means which when moved to a pressurebuild-up liquid feeding position is substantially irreversible inposition until pressure is externally applied to said body.
 31. Thedevice of claim 30 wherein said liquid forcing means is a compressiblebulb-like portion on said body, the bulb-like portion having acollapsible wall portion secured to the rest of the bulb-like portionthrough a snap-action-forming joint, said collapsible wall portion whendepressed inwardly snapping into a stable collapsed position.
 32. Adevice for injecting a catheter into a passageway, the device includinga catheter containing body having a feeding nose portion extendingtherefrom from which feeding nose portion said catheter is to be ejectedinto said passageway, said feeding nose portion having an open-endedlumen communicating with a space within said catheter containing body, acatheter to be injected located in said space and extending into saidfeeding nose portion lumen with a clearance between it and the walls ofthe feeding nose portion lumen, said catheter being resilient andreadily manually stretchable and having an enlargement at the rear endportion thereof which effects a blocking action against the walls of thefeeding nose portion so the catheter cannot be ejected therefrom, saidenlargement at the rear end of the catheter being of such a size that,by manually pulling on the portion of the catheter projecting from thefeeding nose portion, the enlargement will distend to a point where thecatheter slips through said feeding nose portion, a liquid-passingconnector carried by said device to fit a complimentary connector of aliquid holding container, said liquid-passing connector surrounding anejected portion of the catheter, said liquid-passing connector having apassageway within which the rear end portion of the catHeter sealinglyfits at least when the rear end of the catheter is pulled through theneedle into the connector, a sterile fluid, and means for forcing saidfluid under pressure into the feeding nose portion lumen in theclearance space between said catheter and feeding nose portion lumen toprovide a cushion of moving fluid around the catheter which frictionallyimpels the catheter through the outer end of the feeding nose portionlumen where it is ejected from the device.
 33. The injection device ofclaim 32 wherein said feeding nose portion and catheter are adapted tobe injected into a human blood vessel, said catheter is coiled a numberof times within the body so it has an overall length much greater thanthe length of the body and uncoils without any significant curvature sothe flow of said fluid around the catheter in said feeding nose portionreadily keeps the catheter spaced from the walls of the feeding noseportion lumen, and said catheter is made of a material which can remainfor months in said uncoiled condition and then be uncoiled without anysignificant curvature set therein.
 34. The injection device of claim 32where there is provided an open-ended sleeve into which said body andfeeding nose portion thereof extend with the feeding nose portionprojecting therefrom, said liquid-passing connector being removablysecured to the front end of said sleeve, and said body and feeding noseportion being bodily removable from the rear of said sleeve.